title: Facilitating student occupational therapists' mastery of occupation-centred approaches for working with children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Student occupational therapists experience particular challenges in the learning and practicing of occupation-centred practice (OCP) techniques with children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to identify factors that facilitate mastery of OCP from both students' and practice educators' perspectives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine student occupational therapists and two practice educators participated in three interviews at intervals across the students' fieldwork experiences. Observation and document review assisted data triangulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students experienced distinct turning points in their understanding and use of OCP after encountering challenges and then experiencing success. Factors that assisted students' mastery of OCP included modelling and practice opportunities; individualised, performance-specific debriefing; specific learning and teaching styles; and structured learning tools for observation and reporting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Key quality teaching and learning practices can be used by practice educators and universities to promote mastery of OCP approaches. Further opportunities for practice and guided reflection on OCP are needed.
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Division of Occupational Therapy, Brisbane, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia. j.copley@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Jodie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Copley
authors.forename: Sylvia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rodger
authors.forename: Fiona P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Hannay
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education; D011364:Professional Practice; D013336:Students, Health Occupations; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*